Battle Scars
by Kohi wo Nomu
Summary: While Kid Flash is trying to show off and impress the girls, he inadvertently hits a sore spot for the Boy Wonder.


**Battle** **Scars**

While Kid Flash is trying to show off, he inadvertently hits a sore spot for the Boy Wonder.

A/N: I realize it has been forever, and that this is horrifically short, but it is what I can post at the moment. I have no timetable for the next ones for you. If this feels like nothing more than useless filler, I do apologize. Please enjoy.

References are form Robin: Year One and two of my previous fics: Stumble and Pocket Change and Pearls. As always, it is unbetaed. If you see a mistake, please inform me and I will fix it as quickly as possible.

It was a slow day. Black Canary was called to do League things and Batman hadn't had a mission, so for today, they were just six teenagers hanging out. They were supposed to be watching a movie, but Wally was stalling.

"And _this_ one," the speedster said pointing at a apace of unblemished skin on his left arm, he stuffed more popcorn into his mouth before finishing, "Captain Cold shot me with his Cold Gun."

"There's nothing there," Artemis scoffed, rolling her eyes. M'Gann was inspecting the redhead's arm very closely, which had probably been the intention all along.

"Do you get hurt often, Wally?" the Martian asked, concerned.

Wally shrugged, "We all do. It's just part of being a hero. You've got some from fighting with GA, right Artemis?"

The archer scoffed in response, any scars she had wouldn't be from that. "Haven't been doing it long enough to get anything as impressive as yours."

Wally ignored her sarcasm and continued, "Well, what about you, Kaldur?"

The Atlantean bowed his head, "Any injury I have sustained in the service of my King is one I bear willingly."

Wally made a face, obviously not hearing what he wanted. "C'mon! What's the story? Rob, I'll bet you have a couple." Robin did not look inclined to answer his best friend, but the speedster continued to push, "You've been doing this the longest! I bet your stories are epic!"

"Just drop it, KF," Robin said gruffly.

Conner scoffed, "Come on, we've all seen it how Batman is. It's not like he'd ever let anyone really hurt you anyway." The rest of the team murmured in agreement.

Just like that, Robin completely lost his temper. M'Gan must have felt a shift in his emotions because she recoiled before the harshly yelled words started, "Three broken ribs, a ruptured spleen, right arm broken in two places, fractured clavicle, and a cracked skull."

Conner didn't back down, "We didn't say list all of the-"

"That was _one_. Two-Face: baseball bat." Robin answered, much softer, but with every ounce of the previous statements' venom. "I was ten."

Everyone was frozen for a moment. M'Gann was the first to stammer, "B-but where was Batman?"

Robin turned to the Martian, Artemis was almost glad the boy's eyes were covered by those sunglasses, the rage in his posture alone was frightening, "Tied up, with a noose around his neck. Dent made him watch."

"Surely," Kaldur started, "It-he..."

"I got a judge killed. Almost got Batman killed, too."

"But Batman is a master escape artist," Artemis tried to rationalize, "Why didn't he escape?"

Robin sighed, but still refused to look at them, "All that stuff, it takes time. It isn't like having a power. He..." Robin took a shuddering breath and calmed himself. "He still has the burns on his wrists from the acid he used to burn through the ropes. They're faint, you have to know what to look for, and when he's not in costume he's usually wearing long sleeves, but at dinner, or whenever else he reaches for something? You can see them. They're permanent."

It was all too much information at once, and Artemis found her brain fixating on a strange point. "Batman carries acid?!"

"We carry a lot of things. You never know what could be useful."

"How did you even get in that position?" Kaldur asked softly.

"I messed up," Robin said, "I thought I was smarter than Dent. I thought I could beat him at his own game. It was the first time I got to help him with one of Big Rogues. I'd done well before, with Hatter and Blockbuster, I was so sure I could do it. But I got Batman hurt. And it's always there. When you get hurt, all those scars, they aren't trophies, KF. They're reminders that you failed. That you have to do better. Be better. Batman always reminds me that we're different from the rest of the League. We don't have powers like you. We're not invulnerable. After a bad fight, I gotta pull out the first aid kit and patch myself back up."

"Why haven't you ever said anything?" M'Gann asked softly. "We could help."

Rob shook his head, "That's not," he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "The reason we all have to train and work hard is so we don't get those scars. The fewer we have, the better." The Boy Wonder stood quickly, "I'll be in my room, I've got a headache. Start the movie without me."

Wally reached for the retreating boy, but Artemis stopped him, "No, let him cool off."

The speedster turned to her, "I didn't know," he said sadly. "I mean, I know he's gotten hurt before, and bad, but..."

"Robin may be the youngest of us, but he does have the most experience," Kaldur intoned, "His words should be heeded. Our missions are dangerous, we must remember that this is not a game. He has also just returned from two absences because of injuries in the field."

M'Gann hummed in agreement.

It had been six weeks for a broken leg while out with Batman. Then on the first mission back, he'd broken three ribs and fractured his skull, forcing him out for another month. Artemis still had nightmares of standing next to him when he'd dropped after the shot sounded.

Wally nodded, "Sorry, guys."

M'Gann looked around at the solemn faces of her teammates and sighed. She plastered a large, if slightly forced smile on her face. "Then, we shall just have to prove to Robin that we have heard and understand his words! Tomorrow we will work extra hard during training."

Wally groaned, but added, "Yeah, it's the least we can do."

Artemis slipped her arm around the speedster's shoulders, "You can also go apologize after the movie, Baywatch."


End file.
